Container filling and capping apparatus

ABSTRACT

A milk bottling machine includes a spin welder for joining together plastic container halves, means for filling the thus formed containers with milk and means for heat sealing caps in place on the open tops of the filled containers. In order to assure good sealing between the caps and the container lips, each container lip is acted upon by one or more vacuum heads as it is moved from the container filling station to the point where a cap is applied to the container. The vacuum heads remove drops of milk which may have been deposited onto the container lip at the filling station. Each vacuum head is so constructed that it may be disassembled readily for cleaning, and steam may be applied to the container lips prior to the passage thereof beneath the vacuum heads so as to dilute the milk droplets and increase the intervals over which the vacuum heads may be used without becoming clogged.

United States ?atent Appl. No.: 226,582

Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Assistant Examiner-John Sipos Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Andrew J. Beck Mistarz Jan. 22, 1974 CONTAINER FILLING AND CAPPING [57] ABSTRACT APPARATUS A milk bottling machine includes a spin Welder for [75] Inventor: Robert Mlsmrz Northbmok joining together plastic container halves, means for 7 Assignee; Koehring Company Milwaukee, filling the thus formed containers with milk and means w for heat sealing caps in place on the-open tops of the filled containers. In order to assure good sealing be- 1 Flled: 1972 tween the caps and the container lips, each container lip is acted upon by one or more vacuum heads as it is moved from the container filling station to the point where a cap is applied to the container. The vacuum heads remove drops of milk which may have been deposited onto the container lip at the filling station. Each vacuum head is so constructed that it may be disassembled readily for cleaning, and steam may be applied to the container lips prior to the passage thereof beneath the vacuum heads so as to dilute the milk droplets and increase the intervals over which the vacuum heads may be used without becoming clogged.

16 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures mmgmmzw xniE 2 OF 3 FIGS CONTAINER FILLING AND .CAPPING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to container filling and sealing apparatus and, particularly, to means for preventing the occurrence of inadequate seals between container mouths and the closures therefor by reason of the presence on the container mouths of small portions of contaminant material. Morev specifically, the invention is concerned with the provision of means for removing drops of milk or juice and the like fluids from the lips of plastic bottles prior to the application of caps to such bottles.

An example of a highly efficient bottling system is disclosed in. Mistarz and Mojonnier United States patent application, Ser. No. 154,058, filed June 17, 1971. In this system, plastic container halves are delivered from stacks, brought into'proper position with respect to one another and joined together by spin welding to form plastic milk bottles or containers which are open at the top and which have thin-walled lips adjacent the mouths thereof. These containers move sequentially through a filling zone where milk is introduced through the open tops thereof, beneath a mechanism for positioning thereon caps formed from metal foil having a thin vinyl lacquer layer on the underside thereof, and through a heat'sealing zone where the caps are brought into-contact with a heat source and sealed to the lips of the container mouths.

Although this system has proved'to be quite useful in the bottling of milk, some difficulties have been experienced in connection with the seals formed between the caps and the plastic milk containers. These seals must be good in order to permit handling of the filled and sealed containers by the normal commercial procedures in which the containers are tumble packed into boxes. Duringv tumble packing, the sealed containers are subjected to mechanical shocks, and some of the containers actually become inverted as the containers are dropped randomly into the boxes. Unless the seals between the container lips and the caps are strong and extend around the entire circumference of the container lip, leakage is apt to occur under these severe conditions.

It has been discovered that a cause of imperfect seals between the container lips and the caps was the presence of drops of milk on the container lips. These drops result from splashing during the filling operation or from dripping as the containers move from beneath the filler means. When a drop of milk is present on the lip of such a container, it is not possible to obtain a good heat sealing action between the cap and the lip.

It is to be noted also that, if a drop of milk or juice is located on the lip of such a container after the container has moved from the filling zone, that droplet is not likely to be squeezed out from the space between the container lip and cap applied thereto because of the mechanical flexibility of the thin plastic container lip. That is to say, the container lip ordinarily is not sufficiently rigid to bear high compression loads, and one cannot rely upon a squeezing action for ridding the container lips of unwanted droplets which interfere with the attainment of good seals between the caps and the container lips.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An important object of this invention is to provide apparatus for removing contaminants from the surface adjacent a container mouth prior to the placing of a cap thereon.

A more specific object of this invention is to overcome the difficulties noted above by the provision of apparatus for effectively removing milk or juice and the like fluid droplets from the lips of plastic milk containers prior to the placing of plastic coated foil caps thereon, so that leakproof seals may be obtained reliably in subsequent heat sealing operations.

In accordance with the invention, each filled container is moved beneath at least one vacuum head as it passes from the filling station to the point where a cap is applied thereto. The vacuum head serves to sweep unwanted contaminants from the container lip, so that when the cap is applied to the container lip, good sealing contact may be obtained over the entire periphery of the container mouth.

In a preferred form of the invention, each vacuum head has a fluid intake of restricted area, so as to limit the amount of air flow without unduly limiting the amount of pressure drop available for effecting the removal of droplets from the container lips. It is desirable that the restricted inlet of a vacuum head be of sufficient width to extend diametrically across the full width of the mouth of each container being processed, but it is not necessary-that the air passage be uninterrupted over its entire span. In practice, it has proved desirable to form the actual air inlet as a series of holes aligned across the width of theinlet end portion of the vacuum head.

It is preferred also that the vacuum head of the invention be constructed so as to minimize operational difficulties arising from the presence of milk or juice solids within the head. As milk or juice dries, deposits are left which tend to clog air passages of restricted area. Such deposits are undesirable not only because they interfere with the effective operation of the vacuum sweeper system but also because they represent a source of possible contamination for milk and juice. Accordingly, it is an important feature of the present invention that the vaccuum heads be so constructed that they may be readily disassembled for sufficient cleaning.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, it has been found that the frequency of the required vacuum head cleaning operations may be reduced markedly in some instances by projecting steam onto the container lips just prior to their passage beneath the vacuum head. The steam so dilutes milk and juice that there is little tendency for the formation of deposits within the restricted passages of the vacuum head. With such an arrangement, production runs of up to eight hours have been achieved without having to dismantle and clean the vacuum heads.

A more complete understanding of these and other features and advantages of the invention will be gained from a consideration of the following detailed description of certain embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic milk bottling machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a portion of the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view through a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the view being taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a vacuum head of the type shown in FIG. 3, but with the hose and clamp structure removed and the two halves of the head being slightly separated from each other.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the vacuum head shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the vacuum head shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a modified form of vacuum head in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial elevational view showing somewhat diagrammatically an embodiment of the invention in which a plurality of vacuum heads are employed in conjunction with a steam jet.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a plastic milk container of the type processed in the machine of FIG. 1, with three drops of milk being illustrated on the lip of the container.

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a steam jet incorporated in the vacuum head shown in FIG. 2 and a pivotal mounting for the vacuum head apparatus for accommodating container height variations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) Although this invention is directed particularly to apparatus for removing contaminant material from the tops of containers prior to the capping thereof, it will be helpful at the outset to describe generally the overall construction and operation of a milk bottling machine in which the invention is especially advantageous. Such a machine is illustrated in FIG. 1. This machine assembles plastic containers from bulk supplies of nested container halves, fills the containers, and caps and seals the open tops of the filled containers. The various constructional and operational features of the machine are disclosed in detail in the several United States patent applications of Robert J. Mistarz and Albert B. Mojonnier, Sr., filed on June 17, 1971, and identified by Ser. Nos. 143,058; 154,060; 154,061; 154,062; and 154,079. The disclosure of each of such applications is incorporated herein by reference.

The containers 2 are of configurations generally similar to that shown in US. Pat. Des. No. D 204,170. These containers 2 are assembled from separately fabricated container top halves 4 and container bottom halves 6, with the two halves of each container being frictionally welded together at the middle of the container. The upper end of each container 2 includes a generally horizontal, thin-walled, lip 8 surrounding the open mouth 10 of the container, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9 of the drawings.

The machine is in the form of a base or table structure 12 carrying thereon a control panel 14, a series of processing stations, and means for transferring the container portions to and from the various processing stations. The processing stations are all rotatable units, and transfers between stations are accomplished through rotating star wheels, permitting the compact and efficient arrangement indicated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

The first processing station of interest is that which supplies container top halves 4. This container top half supply unit or denester 16 includes means for holding eight vertical stacks of nested container top halves 4 and for delivering container top halves therefrom, one at a time, for subsequent processing. As illustrated, groupings of vertical rods 18 establish the outlines for the several stacks 20 of nested container top halves. Additional container top halves may be supplied to each of the stacks 20 through funnel means 22 at the top of the unit 16. The several stacks 20 are arranged in a circle and the whole is rotated about the axis of this circle.

Means located below the stacks 20 of nested container top halves operate at one angular portion of the circle to remove the bottom container from each stack as that stack passes through such portion. Then the removed container top half is transferred from the top denester unit 16 onto a star wheel device 24.

The container bottom halves are supplied from a unit 26 which is similar in its functions to the top container half supply unit or denester 16. Here again eight stacks 28 of nested container bottom halves 6 are located in a circular path and the stacks are revolved about the axis of this circle. The bottom denester 26 rotates in a clockwise direction. A container bottom half 6 is removed from the bottom of each stack 28 as that stack rotates past one angular location, and the individual container bottom halves 6 are transferred to the star wheel 24 in the zone of tangency between the units.

The star wheel 24 is of course a dual level device. The container top halves 4 are moved along an intermediately located support surface, while the container bottom halves 6 are disposed below that support surface but in vertical alignment with corresponding ones of the container top halves 4.

As the star wheel 24 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, it brings the vertically aligned container halves to a spin welder unit 30. Here the container halves 4 and 6 are received on individual holders and moved clockwise about a circular path. During one angular portion of this path, the holders for the container bottom halves are brought into contact with a drive belt which serves to spin at high velocity about its own axis each of the container bottom halves which are captured within the holders. During this same time interval, the top edge of the container bottom half and the bottom edge of the container top half are brought together vertically into abutting relation. Since the container top half is not rotating about its own axis but the container bottom half is rotating in this fashion, a great deal of heat is generated by friction as the edges come into contact with each other. This heat serves to weld the thermoplastic material and provide a strong leakproof joint between the container edges at a location approximately in the middle of the joined container.

The joined container halves remain on the spin welder unit 30 for a sufficient time to permit adequate cooling of the newly formed joint. Then the containers are transferred one by one onto a star wheel unit 32 which delivers them to filler unit 34.

The filler unit also is a rotating assembly. It receives the open topped containers at uniformly spaced sup port stations 35 about its periphery and revolves the containers through an arcuate path. A supply of the material, such as milk, to be introduced into the containers is located above the container support level of the unit, and as the containers move about the central axis of the unit they are raised individually into operative relationship to filler nozzle means which also rotate about the axis of the unit and which are disposed in vertical alignment with the container support stations. As each container is brought into operative relationship to the overlying filler nozzle, a measured portion of milk begins to flow into the container. The time during which the container is allowed to remain in operative relationship to the filler nozzle may, for example, serve to establish the quantity of milk introduced into the container. Therefore, the container is lowered from contact with the filler nozzle and transferred from the filler unit 34 to another star wheel device 36.

This star wheel 36 rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from above and moves the containers sequentially through an arcuate path bounded on its outer side by guide rail means 38, the arrangement being such that the filled containers are held against tipping movements while being transported bodily along the desired path. While under the control of the star wheel device 36, each of the now filled containers passes beneath the end of a container closure or cap supply device 40. This device 40 receives caps formed in a mechanism 42 and disposes one such cap 43 over the open top of each of the filled containers. Each of the caps is formed of metal foil having a vinyl lacquer layer on the underside thereof.

The filled containers with the caps resting thereon then move one by one onto the periphery of a heat sealer unit 44. In this unit each container is moved clockwise through a circular path, and each container cap is brought vertically into contact with a heater to cause the vinyl'lacquer undersurface of the cap to be sealed to the lip 8 at the mouth ofthe thermoplastic container 2.

Thereafter, the sealed filled containers are delivered from the heat sealer unit 44 onto a star wheel device 46 and transferred to a delivery conveyor 48. The delivery conveyor 48 carries the filled and sealed containers to another location for such further processing as may be desirable inarranging them for shipment or the like.

One such procedure which has been used on a substantial scale is referred to as tumble packing. During tumble packing, the sealed containers are subjected to hydraulic and impact shocks as the filled containers are randomly dropped into a box. Some containers become inverted in the box, and some container leakage has occurred in the past.

A cause of leakage has been found to be associated with the presence of droplets 50 of milk on the lips 8 of the container mouth as the caps 43 were applied to the containers. Three such droplets 50 are shown by way of illustration in FIG. 9. These drops appear on the lips 8 as a result of splashing or dripping in the filler unit 34. When they are interposed between a container lip 8 and the vinyl lacquer layer on the underside of a container cap 43, the cap will not adhere properly to the container and a strong liquid tight seal cannot be achieved.

It was for the purpose of overcoming this difficulty that the present invention was incorporated in the milk bottling machine described above. In accordance with the invention, any droplets 50 of milk which may be on a container top delivered from the filler unit 34 are removed before that container receives a cap 43 from the mechanism 40.

The means for clearing the container lips prior to the application of the caps is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 3 through 6 of the drawings. Connected to the frame of the machine is a support plate 52 which extends horizontally above the star wheel 36. The lower surface of this support plate 52 is located slightly above the level of the lips 8 of the containers transported by the star wheel 36, as indicated in FIG. 3. A vacuum head 54 is supported on the plate 52, and its lower end portion protrudes downwardly through a circular opening 56 in the plate 52. A steam jet device 58 also is carried by the plate 52 and communicates with an opening 60 in the plate.

The steamjet device 58 precedes the vacuum head 54 in the direction of travel of the filled containers being moved along by the star wheel 36. Steam is delivered to the jet device 58 through a hose 62 (FIG. 2) and is projected downwardly through an elongated slit 64 onto the tops of the containers moving beneath the plate 52. The steam serves to dilute the milk droplets 50 on the container lips and facilitate the removal of the droplets by the vacuum head 54.

The vacuum head 54 is made up of two halves or body members 66 and 68 of similar configurations. The halves 66 and 68 fit together with precision but they may be disassembled readily to facilitate cleaning of the apparatus.

Each of the body members 66 and 68 of the vacuum head 54 is generally semi cylindrical in shape and is provided at its upper end with a flange 70 for receiving a clamp 72 shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3. This clamp is a resilient member having separable end portions normally held together by bolt means'74. When the clamp 72 is in position about the flanges 70 on the two vacuum head body members 66 and 68, these members are held together securely. However, when it is desired to clean the equipment,'the bolt means 74 may be removed and the adjacent ends of the clamp 72 may be separated to remove the clamp from its encircling relationship about the flanges 70.

The precision of the fit between the two body members 66 and 68 is further enhanced by alignment pins 76 received within cylindrical holes 78 in the vertical faces of the two halves 66 and 68 of the vacuum head 54. The alignment pins 76 prevent tilting of the halves 66 and 68 relative to each other and assure the maintenance of proper positional relationships without regard to minor deformations in the clamp member 72.

The vertical face of each body member 66 and 68 of the vacuum head 54 has cut away portions for defining the fluid passages through the head. At the upper end of each there is a semi-cylindrical opening 80 provided with a groove 82 for receiving a sealing ring 84 (FIG. 3) which also cooperates with an annular groove 86 in a tip member 88 carried by the end of a flexible vacuum hose 90. It will be understood that the tip member 88 is hollow to permit passage of fluid from the interior of the vacuum head 54 into the vacuum hose 90.

Below the opening 80, the vertical face of each half 66 and 68 of the vacuum head 54 is cut away to provide a chamber 92 of generally rectangular configuration. This chamber 92 is in fluid communication with the interior of the tip member 88 on the vacuum line, and it also is in communication at its lower end with downwardly opening fluid passages 94. These downwardly opening fluid passages 94 are in the form of small semicylindrical openings in the vertical face of each of the halves 66 and 68. In the assembled position of the halves 66 and 68, these openings 94 become aligned and define a transversely extending line of small diameter holes extending from the interior of the vacuum head 54 upwardly into the rectangular chamber 92 within the head. A step 96 at the boundary of the chamber 92 provides a transition zone between the small openings 94 and the main body of the vacuum chamber 92 within the head 54.

When the halves 66 and 68 of the vacuum head 54 have been clamped together by the clamp device 72, the head 54 is positioned with respect to the support plate 52 by passing guide posts 98 and 100 vertically through bores 102 in the two halves of the head 54. The lower end portions of the guide posts 98 and 100 are connected to the support plate 52 by screw threads or other suitable means and it is preferred that spacer means 104 be interposed between the upper surface of the support plate 52 and the overlying surface portions of the head 54. In one form the spacer means 104 is an annular body and has openings for receiving the guide posts 98 and 100. The annular member 104 is received within a cut away portion at the lower end of the head 54, and the weight of the head 54 is borne by the member 104. A wing nut 106 may be located at the upper end of the guide post 100 to limit the vertical travel of the vacuum head 54 with respect to the guide posts 98 and 100.

The exterior surface of the lower end portions of the body members 66 and 68 of the vacuum head 54 are tapered transversely as indicated at 108 in FIGS. 3 and 5. In the assembled position of the parts, one of the sloping faces 108 of the head 54 faces the oncoming containers being moved along by the star wheel 36, and it will be noted from FIG. 3 that the lower end of the vacuum head 54 may protrude slightly beneath the bottom surface of the support plate 52. With this arrangement, it is possible to assure good contact between the upper surface of each container lip 8 and the bottommost portion of the vacuum head 54. In any instance where the top of a container lip is above the level normally occupied by the bottom of the vacuum head 54, the container will lift the vacuum head 54 on the guide posts 98 and 100 as the container moves across the tapered surface 108 of the vacuum head 54. During this entire interval, the container 2 will be within the confines of the star wheel 36 and the guide rail means 38, so that positive control over the container position is assured.

Thus it will be seen that the inlet passages 94 of the vacuum head :54 cooperate efficiently with the container lips to assure removal of whatever loose contaminants may be present on the container lips as they move past the vacuum head. The line of inlet openings 94 in the vacuum head 54 is as long as the diameter of the lip of the container, and the openings 94 are closely spaced along that line so that the vacuum is applied to all portions of the container lip 8.

Although a transversely extending line of small cylindrical openings 94 is a highly efficient configuration for the fluid inlet to the vacuum head 54, other configurations may be used. For example, the inlet opening to the vacuum head may take the form of a narrow slit 110 such as that illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawing. The vacuum head 54a of FIG. 7 is in all other respects identical to the vacuum head 54 of FIGS. 1 through 6, and like reference characters with the addition of the letter a have been applied to the various parts of this modified form of vacuum head.

Yet another variation of the invention is indicated in FIG. 8 of the drawings. In this embodiment a support plate 152 similar to the support plate 52 of FIG. 1 carries a plurality of vacuum heads 154 as well as a steam supply device 158. It will be understood, of course, that the steam supply device 158 may be similar m construction to the device 58 of FIG. 3 and that the vacuum heads 154 may each be identical in construction to the vacuum head 54 of FIGS. 1 through 6. The use of multiple vacuum heads is particularly advantageous where the volume of material to be cleared from the container lips is large.

Still another variation is indicated in FIG. 10 of the drawings. In this embodiment vacuum head 160 incorporates a steam injection channel 162 in the head itself for diluting contaminant as previously discussed without the need for a separate steam jet. As the bottle 2 passes beneath the fluid passages 164 full vacuum is applied for drawing contaminants therethrough; during this time a steam supply (not shown) to channel 162 is turned off. After the bottle 2 has passed passages 164, steam for diluting contaminant therein is supplied thereto from the steam supply through channel 162, chamber 168, and step area 166. An on-off rotary type valve (not shown) is adapted for performing the steam switching function.

FIG. 10 illustrates still another variation. The head 160 is pivotally mounted at to assure the head is in cleaning relationship with all bottles despite bottle height variations. The head 160 is urged against the support plate 172 towards the bottles by spring loaded means such as an arm I74 and spring 176 arrangement connected to the head as shown in FIG. 10. Finally, FIG. 10 illustrates another variation. A thin walled rib 178 is mounted on the lower inclined lead face 180 of the head 160 to gradually raise it as bottle 2 approaches passages 164. This feature eliminates jarring and bouncing of the head as bottles with height variations pass thereby.

Still other modifications and variations are possible. For example, in some instances it is feasible to omit entirely the steam jet device provided in the preferred embodiments described above for the purpose of diluting the milk droplets on the lips of the milk containers.

In view of the many modifications and variations which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art, it will be understood that the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings are intended as exemplary only and that the scope of the invention is to be ascertained from the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Container closing apparatus comprising:

means for transporting along a path a succession of filled containers each having at the top thereof an opening defined by a periphery;

a vacuum head adjacent the path of said filled containers and having fluid inlet means for contacting the periphery of the opening of each container moving along said path for removing extraneous material from said container periphery; and

means for applying a closure to the cleaned opening periphery of each container as the containers continue along said path and for sealing each such closure in place on the container.

2. Liquid packaging apparatus comprising:

means for transporting along a path a succession of containers each having at the top thereof an open mouth surrounded by a lip;

means for introducing liquid product into the open mouth of each of said containers as it passes through a first portion of said path; means above said path at a location beyond said first portion thereof for removing any of said liquid product that may have been left on said lip surrounding the still open mouth of each container;

means for applying a cap directly to the cleaned lip at the top of each container as the containers continue along said path; and

means for sealing the cap in place on the lip of each container.

3. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for removing liquid product from the container lips includes a vacuum head having at the bottom thereof a fluid inlet immediately above and close to the path traversed by the tops of said containers.

4. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said fluid inlet is in the form of a row of small openings in the vacuum head, and wherein means are provided for mounting said head in a position such that said row extends across the path of movement or" said container tops to cause the fluid entering said inlet to act upon substantially the entire area of each of said lips.

5. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said fluid inlet is in the form of a narrow slit extending across the path of movement of said container tops to cause the fluid entering said inlet to act upon substantially the entire area of each of said lips.

6. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said vacuum head includes mating first and second body members and means for releasably holding said first and second body members together in assembled relation, the proximate faces of said body members being recessed to provide fluid passages which extend through the assembled vacuum head but which are exposed for convenient cleaning when said first and second body members are separated from each other.

7. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said vacuum head additionally includes alignment means for assuring proper alignment of said first and second body members during assembly thereof.

8. In a consumable liquid product bottling machine having means for filling in sequence a succession of plastic containers each having an open mouth at the top thereof surrounded by a thin-walled lip, means for depositing on the top of each container a metal foil cap having a sealant layer on the lower face thereof, and means for applying heat and pressure to the cap on each container to seal the cap in place on the container; the improvement which comprises:

a vacuum head formed of separable parts which may be separated to expose the fluid passages of said head for cleaning,

means for supporting said head above and adjacent the path of the containers after they have been filled but prior to the deposit thereon of said caps, and

means for drawing air through said vacuum head from an inlet at the bottom thereof to sweep droplets of product off the lips of containers passing thereunder.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said vacuum head is provided with an upwardly 'sloping lower wall portion facing in the direction from which the filled containers approach said head, and wherein said means for supporting said head is constructed to permit vertical movement thereof in response to contact of a container with said sloping wall portion.

10. A machine according to claim 9 additionally provided with means for supporting each container against tipping as the container is contacted by said vacuum head.

11. A machine according to claim 8 additionally comprising means for directing steam onto the lips of the filled containers prior to the passage thereof beneath said vacuum head to dilute the liquid product droplets and reduce the tendency thereof to clog the fluid passages of said head.

12. A machine according to claim 8 comprising a plurality of said vacuum heads arranged in sequence above the path of the filled containers.

13. A machine according to claim 12 additionally comprising means for directing steam onto the lips of the filled containers prior to the passage thereof beneath said vacuum head to dilute the liquid product droplets and reduce the tendency thereof to clog the fluid passages of said head.

14. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said vacuum head is operatively mounted thereto to accommodate bottle height variations and thereby assure said head is in proper cleaning relationship with bottles passing thereby.

15. A machine according to claim 14 wherein said vacuum head further includes means for gradually raising said head for accommodating bottle height variations thereby eliminating jarring and bouncing of said head by approaching bottles.

16. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said head further comprises means for diluting liquid product passing therethrough to reduce the tendency thereof to clog fluid passages of said head. 

1. ContaineR closing apparatus comprising: means for transporting along a path a succession of filled containers each having at the top thereof an opening defined by a periphery; a vacuum head adjacent the path of said filled containers and having fluid inlet means for contacting the periphery of the opening of each container moving along said path for removing extraneous material from said container periphery; and means for applying a closure to the cleaned opening periphery of each container as the containers continue along said path and for sealing each such closure in place on the container.
 2. Liquid packaging apparatus comprising: means for transporting along a path a succession of containers each having at the top thereof an open mouth surrounded by a lip; means for introducing liquid product into the open mouth of each of said containers as it passes through a first portion of said path; means above said path at a location beyond said first portion thereof for removing any of said liquid product that may have been left on said lip surrounding the still open mouth of each container; means for applying a cap directly to the cleaned lip at the top of each container as the containers continue along said path; and means for sealing the cap in place on the lip of each container.
 3. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for removing liquid product from the container lips includes a vacuum head having at the bottom thereof a fluid inlet immediately above and close to the path traversed by the tops of said containers.
 4. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said fluid inlet is in the form of a row of small openings in the vacuum head, and wherein means are provided for mounting said head in a position such that said row extends across the path of movement of said container tops to cause the fluid entering said inlet to act upon substantially the entire area of each of said lips.
 5. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said fluid inlet is in the form of a narrow slit extending across the path of movement of said container tops to cause the fluid entering said inlet to act upon substantially the entire area of each of said lips.
 6. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said vacuum head includes mating first and second body members and means for releasably holding said first and second body members together in assembled relation, the proximate faces of said body members being recessed to provide fluid passages which extend through the assembled vacuum head but which are exposed for convenient cleaning when said first and second body members are separated from each other.
 7. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said vacuum head additionally includes alignment means for assuring proper alignment of said first and second body members during assembly thereof.
 8. In a consumable liquid product bottling machine having means for filling in sequence a succession of plastic containers each having an open mouth at the top thereof surrounded by a thin-walled lip, means for depositing on the top of each container a metal foil cap having a sealant layer on the lower face thereof, and means for applying heat and pressure to the cap on each container to seal the cap in place on the container; the improvement which comprises: a vacuum head formed of separable parts which may be separated to expose the fluid passages of said head for cleaning, means for supporting said head above and adjacent the path of the containers after they have been filled but prior to the deposit thereon of said caps, and means for drawing air through said vacuum head from an inlet at the bottom thereof to sweep droplets of product off the lips of containers passing thereunder.
 9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said vacuum head is provided with an upwardly sloping lower wall portion facing in the direction from which the filled containers approAch said head, and wherein said means for supporting said head is constructed to permit vertical movement thereof in response to contact of a container with said sloping wall portion.
 10. A machine according to claim 9 additionally provided with means for supporting each container against tipping as the container is contacted by said vacuum head.
 11. A machine according to claim 8 additionally comprising means for directing steam onto the lips of the filled containers prior to the passage thereof beneath said vacuum head to dilute the liquid product droplets and reduce the tendency thereof to clog the fluid passages of said head.
 12. A machine according to claim 8 comprising a plurality of said vacuum heads arranged in sequence above the path of the filled containers.
 13. A machine according to claim 12 additionally comprising means for directing steam onto the lips of the filled containers prior to the passage thereof beneath said vacuum head to dilute the liquid product droplets and reduce the tendency thereof to clog the fluid passages of said head.
 14. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said vacuum head is operatively mounted thereto to accommodate bottle height variations and thereby assure said head is in proper cleaning relationship with bottles passing thereby.
 15. A machine according to claim 14 wherein said vacuum head further includes means for gradually raising said head for accommodating bottle height variations thereby eliminating jarring and bouncing of said head by approaching bottles.
 16. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said head further comprises means for diluting liquid product passing therethrough to reduce the tendency thereof to clog fluid passages of said head. 